The Clinical and Translational Research Award ,(CTSA) has been greeted enthusiastically by the[unreadable] University of Pennsylvania (Penn). A strategic plan had identified clinical and translational research as a[unreadable] priority, leading to formation of the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT) in January[unreadable] 2005. ITMAT anticipated some aspects of the CTSA - inclusion of the GCRC, dedicated "dry" and "wet[unreadable] bench" space for translational research and a robust educational program, configured on a Masters in[unreadable] Translational Research (MTR). This CTSA proposal prompted intra and inter-institutional consideration of[unreadable] how to build on this achievement. This has forged a transformational alliance between Penn, the Children's[unreadable] Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the Wistar Institute (Wl) and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia[unreadable] (USP). Faculty from 9 of the 12 schools at Penn and from the partner institutions are represented in[unreadable] leadership roles in the response to this CTSA.[unreadable] ITMAT, designated as the "academic home" for clinical and translational research, has been broadened[unreadable] to serve a trans-institutional role. Its structure has been transformed to foster interdisciplinary science from[unreadable] discovery of new molecules through to the study of drug action in large populations. This has been[unreadable] accomplished by developing interdisciplinary centers, related cores, innovative interdisciplinary programs of[unreadable] research and strategies to engage and inform communities and their physicians. A particular emphasis has[unreadable] been placed on training and innovative programs, which cover the entire career span, engaging[unreadable] undergraduate students through to mature clinicians, are proposed/These include the flexible use of the[unreadable] MTR and new tracks in the Masters in Clinical Epidemiology (MSCE) with the MD, PhD, VMD, MSN, DM0[unreadable] and MBA degrees; the set aside of places for medical school entrants pursuing MD-MTR/MSCE degrees[unreadable] and the flexible use of our diverse faculty tracks at Penn and CHOP to broaden physician engagement in[unreadable] research. These initiatives will be pursued in partnership with industry (e.g. GSK, Oracle), the State of[unreadable] Pennsylvania (BioAdvance), the FDA and a national network of institutions holding CTSAs. An elaborate and[unreadable] diversified approach to tracking the productivity of this program has been developed and will be integrated[unreadable] into a national plan with similar centers.[unreadable] In summary, this initiative has fostered (i) an integrated strategy to clinical and translational research by[unreadable] Penn, CHOP, the Wl and USP and (ii) the transformation of ITMAT. This will permit the development of[unreadable] interdisciplinary structures designed to. foster and facilitate research and education in this emerging[unreadable] discipline.